Prolapsed vent - am I getting it right?

[ekmurray]

I still have to lift our chickens into the Cube 2 as they’re still too small to use or understand a ladder, so my partner outside the run closes the autodoor manually (as well as having it set on the lowest light setting for closing automatically). Tonight, I put them to bed, he closed the autodoor manually (I watched it close to make sure they didn’t try to leave), and then a few minutes later we heard the door opening. We ran back out but found it halfway open and closing again. So it seems to have re-opened itself so that it can then close itself again at its scheduled close time as the light dimmed. Is this a programming error? Or does this happen every night and I just haven’t heard it until now? We’ve had it for two weeks.

[Cat tails]

I can’t help you here as I don’t have an autodoor. Just replying to your post as it won’t be visible to others.

Maybe @Luvachicken can help you?

[Luvachicken]

21 minutes ago, Cat tails said:

Maybe @Luvachicken can help you?

I will get Mr Luvachicken on the case when he finishes work in a bit.

I do know that if a chicken is in the way, the door will open again and then try closing.

If the chicken is still there, then the door will carry on going back and forth until the chicken moves.

We tested it on a satsuma before adding it to the cube and it worked pretty well.

Can't guarantee when Mr Luvachicken will finish work but will get back to you soon.

[ekmurray]

Thanks for your replies! I’m sure a chicken wasn’t stuck as I watched it close the first time and it closed fully without a chicken getting in it. Then shortly after that, we heard it opening and came out to see it re-closing. 

[Luvachicken]

Hubby says : We have ours set to close at a specific time, an hour or so after they normally go to bed, so have not experienced any such problem. Perhaps in your case it re-opened because it thought it was light enough.

 

Mine has always been set that way, ever since I've had it. I've always found that easier and like hubby said, it's never gone wrong that way. 

[ChucksNZ]

Yes, that's how it works if you have set it to close based on light levels.

If you close it manually before the light level has been reached for automatic closing, it will open again. I've been caught out with that one too!

[Luvachicken]

16 hours ago, ChucksNZ said:

Yes, that's how it works if you have set it to close based on light levels.

If you close it manually before the light level has been reached for automatic closing, it will open again. I've been caught out with that one too!

Oh, that's interesting.

I close the door manually while I clean the girls out but it never re-opens. I always press the door to open again, but then mine isn't set based on the light levels.